Indicator



March 12; 1935.

INDICATOR "Filed Dec. 9, 1933 .36 25 30 2619 24 2 v 22 23 I 2? 1? ll 30 Ivzrenib'i Edward L. ,BaTrdZ:

E. BARRETT 1,993,989

Patented Mar. 12,1935

OFFICE INDICATOR Edward L. Barrett, La Grange, 111. assignor to 'Utah Radio Products Company, Chicago, 111.. a

corporation of Illinois Application December 9, 1933, Serial No. 701,587-

6 Claims.

of parts.

Another object resides in the provision of an indicator having face protecting means or a cover element which is at least partially transparent so that the indicia :are visible and which supports light diffusing or reflecting means located substantially centrally of the indicia for directing light evenly toward the indicia from a source I located centrally thereof.

More specifically stated, another object is to provide, in an indicating device having relatively movable parts including a dial and a pointer .element, one of which is supported on a driven sleeve, and having a cover through which the indicia on the dial maybe observed, a light diffuser or reflector located in substantial alinement with the sleeve to receive light from a lamp mounted in the sleeve.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent in the following description and from the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view across the axis of a device embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a face view of the device. I

The device, which has been illustrated for descriptive purposes, is one particularly adapted to indicate the position of an adjustable part, such as the variable condensers, of a radio receiving set. It will be understood, however, that certain features of the invention may be employed in devices other than that shown.

With reference to the drawing, designates a case of any desired size and shape comprising a base 11 to which a cover element 12 may be attached, as by a peripheral flange 13. The case may be secured to a supporting panel 14 in any desired manner, as by providing an axial tubular stud 15 having an outturned flange 16 bearingagainst the inner face of the base and extend- .ing through the base and panel for engagement with a holding nut 17. While the base 11 is herein shown as a separate part of the case, the panel, if desired, may constitute the base.

The stud 15 is of substantial length to provide a bearing for a tubular sleeve 18 which projects a short distance beyond each end of the stud..

The projecting end of the sleeve behind the panel 14 has a disk 19 fixed thereto through a hub 20, as by set screws 21.- The disk has an outwardly facing groove 22 in a side face thereof to 5 receive one end of a flexible power transmitting element or cable 23 which is fixed to the disk and is longitudinally guided into engagement therewith by an angularly and tangentially disposed guide 24. Opposingthe' groove to hold the cable therein, is a plate 25 which is mounted on the hub by a washer 26 suitably fixed on the hub. Clearance between the plate and washer permits the plate to tilt or tip on the hub so that the plate may follow gyratory or eccentric movements of the disk about its axis- The plate may be held against movement with the disk by an integral finger 27 loosely engaging an aperturein a stationary part, such as the panel 14. Preferably the guide 24 is carried by the plate 25.

The free end of the cable 23 is adapted to be operatively connected with an instrumentality, the adjustment of which is to be indicated,'in such manner that movement of said instrumentality reciprocates the cable and effects rotation of the disk and sleeve assembly. The illustrated arrangement of parts produces a free running substantially frictionless transmission of power for operating the indicator. Movement of the sleeve is utilized to produce the relative movement between the cooperating parts of the indicating means. In this instance, a pointer 28 is connected with the end of the sleeve within the case for movement across indicia 29 which are preferably arranged concentrically of the sleeve 'andmay be presented on an indicator disk 30 on the base 11. The cover 12 is fashioned to permit the relative positions of the pointer and indicia to be observed and in thepresent embodiment the cover is convex in shape and is formed of glass.

The indicating means is efl'ectively and indirectly illuminated in an emcient manner.- Thus, fixed to the inner side of the cover immediately in front of the sleeve 18 is a member 31 presenting what may generally be termed a light diffusing surface 32 facing toward and traversing the axis of said sleeve.

As illustrated, the member is a concave disk conforming to the curvature of the cover and the diffusing surface is gently concave. However, the form of the diflusing surface is determined by the amount of light which must be diffused laterally over theindicia. and may be other than concave, as desired. Moreover the character of the diffusing surface is determined by the light required and may be either highly polished or conventionally fashioned to diffuse light. 7

The light is directed against the diffusing surface through the sleeve 18 and preferably the source of illumination is an electric lamp 33 outwardly and rearwardly in all directions, thus mountedfin a socket 34 secured in the sleeve behind thpanel 14. If one lead to the lamp is grounded as is customary, the ungrounded lead 35 is secured to an insulating bracket 3,6 on the end of the sleeve. Since the light is directed squarely at the diffusing surface, it will be spread bev understood that I do not thereby intend to limit theinvehtion to the specific form disclosed, 'butintend tocover all modifications and alternativel constructions falling withinthe spirit and scope of theinvention as expressed in the appended claims. I

I claim as myinvention: v

1. man indicating device, the combination ofmembers supported for relative movement for in-'- dicating purposes including a dial element having arcuately arranged indicia thereon and a desighating pointer element, means disposed in front -61 said dial element and substantially centrally ofthe indicia and having a light deflecting surface thereon facing r'earwardly toward saiddial and a source of illumination behind saiddial directed toward said surface. a

,2. In an indicating device, the combination with means presenting lndicia arranged generally about a center, light deflecting means in'front of said indicia and located substantially on'said" center, and a source of light located substantially on said center behind the indicia presenting means and arranged to direct light rays only toward said deflecting means.

3. An indicator device comprising, in combina-. 5 tion, a face'member through which observations -may be made, indicia bearing means and indi-- cating means disposed behind said face member, a tubular rotatable sleeve carrying one of said means for movement relative to the other means, a lamp in said sleeve, a light deflecting member on said fa'ce member in alinement with said sleeve, and means for driving said sleeve.

.4. An indicator device comprising, in comblnation, a dial having indicia thereon arranged 5 about a center, .a pointer, a sleeve located sub-" stantially on said center and-supporting said pointer for movement across the indicia, a cover element through which said indicia are visible and having alight deflecting surface substantially on said center, and a lamp in said sleeve.

5. An indicator comprising, in combination, indicia bearing means, cooperating indicating means, a driven tubular member on which one of said means is supported for movement relative-gs to the other means, a 'cover element .through which the relative positions of said means'may be observedand havingza surface thereon" substantially traversing the axis of said tubular member for deflecting light toward said means, and 30 a lamp in said tubular member.

6. In an indicating device the combination with means presenting indicia for observation, light deflecting means in front of the indicia presenting means for deflecting light toward the. 35 indicia; a source of lightlocated on the opposite side of said indicia presenting means, and means for directing light from said source only toward said deflecting means.

' EDWARD L. BARRE'I'I. til 

